Weed-destroyer.



F. F. LEGGIE. WEED DESTROYER. APPLICATION FILED 02c. 10. 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I I l: l I H '1; vi I I -f mkl leggze I I .2? INVENTOR. -5 llii 'm "ll A TTORNE YS.

F. F. LEGG|E.

WEED DESTROYER v APPLlCATlON FILED 0c.10, 1915.

1,177,424. I Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ham iz gae IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

FRANK F. LEGGIE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WEED-DESTROYER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. FRANK F. Lnoom, a,

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Weed-Destroyers, of whlch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for .destroying weeds by burning the same, and its object is to provide a device of this kind which can be easily handled and controlled, and which is simple in construction and highly eflicient in operation.

The object stated is attained by means of a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevationof the device; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly broken away; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 p

is a cross-section onthe line 33 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a liquid fuel burner mounted on wheels and positioned so that the flame is directed downward toward the ground to burn the weeds or other growths to be destroyed. The burner isan elongated horizontal pipe 10 having perforations 11 and mounted in a sheet metal hood which is open at the bottom and supported at its ends on wheels 12. The hood comprises a front wall 13, a rear wall 14 and end walls 15. The wheels 12 are mounted on the end walls of the hood, and to said walls are also fixed the branches 16 of a fork or handle 17 whereby the device is propelled over the ground.

The top of the hood has a contracted portion 18 formed by a wall 19 extending downward from the top of the front wall 13 in spaced relation therewith and in the same' -tracted"'t'op portion of the hood and has one end closed by a plug 20, its other end being Specification of Letters Patent.

yoke carrying a connected to a valve casing 21. Extending parallel to the burner pipe 10, a suitable dis- Patented Mame, 1916. Application filed December 10, 1915. Serial No. 66,171. Y

tanc'e below the same, is a pipe or tube 22 serving as a retort in which the gas or vapor is generated- This underlying retort tube is connected at one end to the by'a lateral bend 23. and the lateral bend past the plug from the top of the hood through an apervalve casing21 other end has a 20 andextends' .6

ture therein. to a fuel reservoir 24 carried the handle 17.

The bottom edge of the wall 19 h as an'ins ward curl 25 forming a trough designed-to..

asbestos or other: suitable? I I hold a wick 26' of material. The retort tube 22 extends parallel tothis trough, in proximity ltheretoi Y i i The valve in the casing 21 to which; the

burner pipe 10 and the retort tube 22are conthe top of the hood so as to be readily ac- Y nected has a handle 27 which extends from cessible. In the wall 19, above the wall 14,

are openings 28 to admit air to the. burnerlx The bottom edges of the walls 13 and 14 f have outward curls 29 so that thehood readily pass over uneven ground.

The reservoir 24 is located at a. higher that the fuel flows" when the valve in the casing 21 is opened. Upon'opening this the liquid fuel issues from the perforations 11 and drops. onrthe wick level than the burner so by gravity to the burner valve slightly,

26, which is then'ignited. The proximity of the retort tube 22 heats the liquid fuel in the latter and vaporizes the same. The vapor thus formed issues from the perforations l1 and burns with an intense flame, air to support combustion be ing drawn into the chamber 18 through the openings 28; The sheet of flame beating against the wall 13 is and past the retort tube 22 so that the vaporito'the wick quickly deflected downward.

zation of the fuel is continued. The heat and flame are deflected down on the ground, quickly destroying the weeds and growths. The size of the flame is readily controlled by turning the valve-handle 27, the same being readily accessible. The weeds can therefore be completely destroyed or merely singed.

The device can be easily handled, it being pushed over the ground in the same manner as a lawn mower. It will also beapparent that the device is not limited to the destruction of weeds, but may, with equal facility,

other I be employed for melting snow andice on sidewalks or streets.

I claim 2-- The combination of a hood open at the bottom and mounted for travel over the ground, said hood having diverging front 5 and rear walls, and a Wall connected to the top of the front Wall and extending in spaced relation therewith and in the same direction to form a burner chamber at the top of the hood, the bottom of said last- 10 menti oned Wall being above the bottom of the hood and having a trough, and the rear Wall of the hood extending from said last-mentioned Wall above the trough, and said lastmentioned Wall having air inlets above the rear Wall of the hood, a liquid fuel burner in.

the aforesaid chamber, and a retort connect-- ed to the burner and extending in proximity to the trough.

In testimony FRANK F. LEGGIE.

whereof I aifix my signature. 

